Spray nozzle



Feb. Il, 1947. c. R. KEEP SPRAY NOZZLE Filed uay 1o. 194s v Jnverftar. C'ar/e 5 R. Ke ef:

Patented Feb. 11, 1947 SPRAY NOZZLE Charles R. KeepfNorwood, Mass., assignor to B. F. Sturtevant Company, Boston, Mass.

Application May 10, 1945, Serial No. 593,062

s claims. 1

This invention relates to spray nozzles, and

relates more particularly to nozzles for spraying water in the conditioning of air,

Spray nozzles now in common use in air washers, have throats in which the water to be sprayed is introduced, and which connect tangentially with tapered whirl chambers having discharge outlets at their narrowest portions. The water emerges from such nozzles in the form of a hollow cone of spray droplets. Nozzles of this type are frequently used in air humidii'lers and dehumidiers where thepurpose is to spray water directly into the air streams.

Where it is desired to spray Water upon the surfaces of heat exchange tubes and upon filters, the previously described nozzles are not satisfactory for the reasons that the water droplets in the spray are not coarse enough, and the volume of Water sprayed at a given pressure is insuilicient. A nozzle that is satisfactory for such duties is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,257,691, which issued September 30, 1941.

This invention providesy a nozzle which is an improvement upon the nozzle disclosed in my said patent in that it can be manufactured more accurately at less expense, and can be serviced and repaired at less expense.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision of an inner nozzle formed as part of a removable cap threaded into lthe back wall of an outer nozzle, the inner nozzle receiving water from the throat of the outer nozzle and discharging such water into the nozzle outlet. Such inner nozzles are easily removed, serviced or repaired and replaced, and enable nozzles normally spraying small volumes of ne spray, to be converted into nozzles spraying large volumes of coarser spray.

An object of the invention is to provide a wide angle spray iilled with relatively coarse liquid droplets.

'I'he invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a front eleilation of a nozzle embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the nozzle;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View along the lines 4-'4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the lines 5'5 of Fig. 3;

. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the cap of the nozzle, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged end view of the cap at the outlet end thereof.

'Ihe nozzle has the hollow, tapered, whirl chamber I I) which is closed oi at its largest end by the removable cap I I, and which has at its smallest end the centrally located, diverging outlet I2. The cylindrical, throat opening I3 extends tangential to the periphery of the chamber I0, and into the threaded base I4 which is adapted to be screwed onto a liquid supply pipe or header. The passage I3 feeds liquid from the base I 4 tangentially into the chamber I0 so that the liquid is given a spin around the interior of the chamber before it emerges from the outlet I2.

The cap II has a nozzle portion I6 which extends inwardly into the chamber I0, and has a grooved portion 2| between the threaded portion I5 and the nozzle portion I6. The grooved portion 2l is circular in cross section and extends perpendicular to the axis of the nozzle portion I6, which axis coincides with the axis of the outlet I2 when the nozzle is assembled.

The grooved portion 2| has the circular opening I8 extending therethrough. The nozzle portion I6 has the circular opening I9 extending along its axis from its inner end into the opening I8.

The grooved portion 2| is arranged as best illustrated by Fig. 3, to have its irmer iiange 20 extend into about the center of the inner end of the passage I3, and to Contact the inner surface of the whirl chamber I0 so ythat except adjacent the passage I3, the grooved portion 2I and the inner surface' of the whirl chamber Ill form a closed circular passage through which liquid supplied by the passage I3 rotates.

'I'he liquid rotating in the grooved portion 2| as described, is under pressure and enters the opening I8, then passes into the opening I9, and then is projected into the center of the nozzle outlet I2.

The liquid entering the whirl chamber IIIY directly through the passage I3, is projected through the outlet I2 in a wide angle spray. The liquid projected through the cap opening I9 into the outlet I2, reacts with the Water passing directly from the whirl chamber I0 into the outlet I2, causing a larger liquid volume to be projected and the spray to be iilled with relatively coarse droplets.

An advantage of the construction disclosed herein -is that the inner nozzle can be exactly aligned with, and accurately spaced from, `the nozzle outlet without skilled effort.

An'other advantage is that through the inner nozzle being readily removable with lthe cap, its

passages can be easily inspected and cleaned,

and if necessary, the inner nozzle can quickly be replaced.

Another advantage is that a single outer nozzle structure can be used for different functions. By using the usual removable cap having a at inner surface, the nozzle can be used for cleaning. humidifying and dehumidifying air' by direct spray contact. By using the cap disclosed herein, the same nozzle can be converted for the washing of heat exchange coils such as evaporator and condenser coils.v and the wetting of lters through which the air to be conditioned passes.

The tapered inner nozzle also performs the function of centering the spinning liquid in the chamber I0, about the axis of the outlet I2.

The groove 42| and the openings I8 and I9 i'ntercept a portion of the liquid from .the passage I3, which otherwise would enter the whirl chamber I0. The nozzle portion I6 extending into the chamber I2, decreases its volumetric area and compensates for the decreased volume of liquid.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact arrangement illustrated, as modications thereof may -be suggested by those skilled in the art without departure from the essence of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A spray nozzle having an inner whirl chamber with converging walls at one end thereof, said walls having an outwardly diverging outlet therein, said nozzle having a liquid supply channel with a wall connecting substantially tangentially with a wall of said chamber whereby the liquid entering said chamber is given a spin, a removable cap in .the wall of said chamber opposite said ou'tlet, said cap having a portion extending into said chamber, said portion having a passage therein in alignment with said outlet, said portion hav- `ing a groove formed therein around said passage and having a second passage extending in said groove through said first mentioned passage, said groove and passages deecting liquid from said chamber into .the liquid passing directly from said chamber into said outlet.

2. A. spray nozzle according to claim 1 in which the edges of said groove contact the inner surface of said chamber and said` groove extends across said supply channel.

3. A spray nozzle according to claim 1 in which a ange on said portion forms the wall of said 'groove nearest said outlet, and said portion converges from said Bange towards said outlet.

CHARLES R. KEEP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS 

